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New England Clam Chowder
Melissa Hart

New England Clam Chowder

Clams cook in minutes, so leaving them in the crock all day only makes them rubbery. Their bottled juice and the bacon season the potatoes first; chopped clams join for the last half hour. The texture should be creamy but still spoonable, not a bowl of white gravy.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 6 oz bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 3 cups bottled clam juice
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 26 oz canned chopped clams drained with liquid reserved
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half

Method
 

  1. Cook the bacon in a skillet for 7 minutes until browned, transfer it to a 6-quart crockpot, and discard the excess fat.
  2. Add the potatoes, onion, celery, clam juice, broth, reserved canned-clam liquid, thyme, salt and pepper.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Mix the butter and flour into a paste, whisk it into the half-and-half, and stir it into the crock with the drained clams.
  5. Cook on high for 30 minutes until the clams reach 145°F and the chowder thickens lightly.